Price sign



July 14, 1925.

F. PFOUS PRICE SIGN Filed Sept. 6, 1924 .INVENTOR Fran/i Pious WITNESSESATTORNEY Federated July '14, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK PFOUS, OF COSHOCTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR. TO THE H. D. BEACH 00., OFCOSHOGTQN, OHIO, A CORFORATION 0F OHIOV PRICE SIGN.

Application filed September 6, 1924. Serial No. 736,296.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Prone, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Coshocton, in the county of Coshocton and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful Improvements in Price Signs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to price signs, and has for an object theprovision of a sign so constructed that plates bearing numerals, orcharacters indicating the price of a commodity may be changed withoutremoving the sign from its support.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein the plates are held firmly in place and in perfectalinement without the use of screws or bolts which, if used, would havea tendency to rust, making it difficult to change the plates.

With these and other objects in view, as

will appear as the description proceeds, the

invention consists of the novel features of construction, combinationsof elements, and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be fully describedand claimed.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained froma consideration of the following detailed description, takeninconnection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of thisspecification, it being understood that while the drawing shows apractical form of the invention, the latter is not to be confined tostrict conformity with the showing thereof, but may be changed ormodified, so long as such changes and modifications mark no materialdeparture from the salient features of the invention, as specificallypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, in which similar numerals of reference indicate similarparts throughout the several figures Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowing the manner in which the invention is supported on a post;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the inventionhaving a portion broken away to disclose details of construction Figure3 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary disassembled perspective view showing theassociation of the parts; and

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The bracket 1 is preferably stamped out or formedof one piece of metal,which is bent or machine-pressed to provide a top 2, and depending sides3 of a hollow guide box which is rectangularin cross section. The lowerportions 1 of the sides 3 are bent in wardly toward each other andextend parallel to the top 2, with their adjacent edges uniformly spacedat the bottom to provide the longitudinal opening 5. The sides 3 areextended at one end to form straps 6 and apertured to receive the bolt 7for securing the bracket 1 to a post or similar support 8.

The end 9, which engages the support 8,-

is formed of an integral extension of the top 2, which is bentdownwardly and then upwardly against the underside of portions 4, and isslotted as at 10 to receive the tongues 11, which are bent up againstend 9 and serve to hold the parts in fixed position. The guide box istherefore closed at its inner end and open at its outer end, the opening5 being correspondingly open and closed at the same ends.

The plate holder 12is made up of a pair of elongated box-like members 13and 14, each of which includes a back 15, bent-up sides 16 and a bent-upend 17 The members 13 and 1% are adapted to be placed back to back, withintegral struck up tongues 18 on member 13 engaging in the slots 19 inthe back of member 14, and the reversely bent hook 20 which is integralwith the back of member 13, by its engagement with the back of member14, tends to hold the members together. 1

The rectangular sign plates 21 which are preferably made of suitablesheet metal have appropriate numerals or characters 22 prominentlydisplayed thereon, and are provided centrally adjacent their top edgeswith slots 23, for receiving the tongues 18 to support the plates independing position in the holder 12.

It will be observed that portions of the sides 16 taper toward the openends of the members 13 and 14, as at 24, to insure easy insertion of theplate holder 12 within the bracket 1. ilntegral; lugs 25 bent up fromthe portions 4- of bracket 1 serve as stops to limit the movement of theplate holder 12 into bracket 1. i

In the practice of the invention, the bracket 1 is secured to a suitablesupport 8 by means of bolt 7, which draws the-:ex: tension 6 and end 9tightly against the support. The member 13- is laid upon a supportingsurface with its back 15. and tongues 18 up, and the appropriate plates21 are properly positioned thereon, two on:

each tongue, in order that the signwill be legible from either side. Theend ofthe back 15 of the member l-is then insertedunder the hook and thetongues 18 inserted within slots 19.

By taking hold of the two members 13 and 14 adjacent their closed ends17, the entire holder 12, with the attached plates, may be picked up andinserted within the bracket 1 with the plates disposed within theopening -5. The holder is then pushed in-u'n'til its end engages thestops 25 and the sign is completely assembled.

A characteristic feature of this invention resides in the constructionof the sign plate holder, which is removable and insertible as a unitthrough the open front or outer, end of the guide box. The sign platesare arranged in proper order in the holder when the latter is removedfrom the guide box,

and the holders with the sign plates properly connected are theninserted through the open end of the guide box, the plates sliding inthe opening '5 in the bottom of'the guide box. In-this-way the holder ishoused within the guidebox, and the sign plates are removable from theholder only after the latter is withdrawn from the guide box.

It will be observed thatthe construction shown is particularly adaptedfor =use'by gasoline stations for-indicating the price of gasoline,which varies almost daily, and a comparatively small number of'platesare required for indicating the'prices in cents and fractions thereofover a wide range.

What is claimed is r 1. A device of the class described, comprising asupporting meaiis having a guide box substantially rectangular in crosssection, and-open at one end, andprovided with a longitudinal opening atone side, a sign plate holder shaped to fit within .said guide box, aplurality of sign plates carried by said holder at their margins, andprojecting therefrom through said opening, spaced interlocking means on,said holder and. engaging the margins of said sign plates individually,said sign plate holder with the sign plates being removable andinsertible as a unit through the open end of the guide box, said signplates being 'removable from said holder only after the holder has beenwithdrawn from said guide boX.-- 1' 2. In a device of the classdescribed, a guidebox closed on all sides except one and 1 having alongitudinal opening; in said. side, said guide box and sa d openingbeing open at the outer end and closed at the inner end, anda signholder insertible through the open end of said guide box and carryingsign plate'sslidablexin said opening, said sign holder having means forretaining the sign plates in position while in the guide 3. In a deviceof the class described, a bracket having a guide box provided with alongitudinal opening in the bottomand open at one end, and a holderinsertible through the open end of said guide box and comprising a pairof -members, and sign plates mounted betweenthe members and engagedthereby, said sign plates being movable when in position within theguide box through thelongitudinal opening thereof.

4. The combination with a guide box open at one end and provided with alongitudinal opening at one side,a sign plate holder consisting of twomembers, means provided on said members for engaging t-he sign plates,and means for connecting the two members inclamping engagement with thesign plates, I whereby the sign plates 'may be mounted and retained inproper position before insertion in, the-guide box.

5. In a device of the class described, a bracket including a guide boxprovided with a longitudinal opening at one side and open at one end, asign plate holder comprising a; pair of'members insertible through theopen end'of said guide box, means for connecting the" two memberstogether, xsign plates, and interlocking means between the said membersand said sign plates.

6. In a device of the class described, a bracket including a guide boxprovided with a'longit-udinal opening in thebott'om and open at one end,a sign plate holder comprising a "pair ofbox-like members insertiblethroughthe open' end of said guide box, means for connecting the memberstogether,

sign plates, and means .for interlocking the sign plates to saidmembers.

7. In, a device of the class described, a sign plate holder comprising apair of boxlike members, means for connecting the members together backto. back, sign plates provided with spac'ed'slots, and interlockingmeans on said members toengage said slots in the sign plates. 7

'8; In a. device of the. class described, a bracket including a guidebox provided with a longitudinal opening and open at one end, a holderfor'sign plates comprising a pair of box-like members, meansforconnecting the members together, said members when connected beinginsertible through the open end of said guide box, sign plates, andinterlocking means between the members of said holder and said signplates so as to connect them together, the sign plates being movable inthe longitudinal opening at the guide box.

9. In a device of the class described, a one-piece bracket comprising atop and depending sides, the lower portion of said sides being inturnedwith the edges in spaced parallel relation to provide a bottom with alongitudinal opening, a-pertured extensions on one end of said sides forsecuring the bracket to a support, and an extension of the top bent downbetween said apertured extensions and engaging the inturned portions ofthe sides, said extension of the top being slotted, and tongues toengage said slots to close the inner end of the bracket and at the sametime maintain the parts in fixed position.

10. In a device of the class described, a supporting bracket comprisinga top, sides, an end and an open bottom, integral apertured extensionsof the sides for securing the bracket to a support, said end being anintegral extension of the top bent down between said side extensions andengageable with the bottom, and closing the inner end of the bracket.

11. In a device of the class described, a holder comprising a pair ofbox-like members, cooperating means on the backs of said members forsupporting a plurality of changeable sign plates, and means for holdingsaid members together at one end.

12. In a device of the class described, a holder comprising a pair ofbox-like members, spaced slotted sign plates interposed between saidmembers, supporting tongues projecting from the back of one of themembers, spaced slots in the back of the other member to receive saidtongues, and

means for holding said members together.

13. In a device of the class described, a holder comprising a pair ofbox-like members, each member including a back, an end and a pair ofsides tapering in depth toward the open end, cooperating means on thebacks of said members for supporting a plurality of sign plates inalinement, and means for holding said members together at their openends.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature.

FRANK PFOUS.

